Thousands attend Fresno rally supporting gay marriage
Click here for photos. With lively chants and rainbow flags, several thousand people rallied in Fresno today, aiming to persuade California’s conservative heartland to support same-sex marriage rights.
Just days after the California Supreme Court upheld a ban on same-sex marriage approved by voters in November, activists launched the rally with a 14.5-mile march from Selma to Fresno in the Central Valley.
Hundreds participated in the march. Seeking to link the march with the 1960s civil rights movement centered in places like Selma, Ala., organizers said it was “a symbolic sign of respect for the social movements before us.”
The march ended at Fresno City Hall with the larger rally and drew support from such celebrities as Charlize Theron and Eric McCormack. McCormack, a heterosexual actor who played a gay lawyer in the TV sitcom “Will & Grace,” said he joined the march as a symbol of gay rights to middle America.
“We are the gays they accepted,” he said, referring to middle America TV viewers.
The joyful, lively crowd waved “No on Prop. 8” signs and chanted, “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it.”
No arrests were made, said police, who estimated the crowd to be about 3,000.
--Jessica Garrison
Interactive map of milestones in the gay marriage battle and how state laws have changed since 2000.
Wow! Thousands? It sound like it was fun!
Posted by: FlexSF | May 30, 2009 at 04:32 PM
As the Gay and Lesbian movement continues to try and convince the people of California to accept same sex marriage, will they continue to move the goal post back after the 2012 elections when California for the third time votes this issue down?
You can legislate all the laws you want with regard to this issue, but you cant tell or enforce people who they can like or dislike.
Posted by: Nancy | May 30, 2009 at 04:44 PM
this paper cuts anything even if its not harmful against gay marrage. any comments negitive just disappears.
Posted by: jdh | May 30, 2009 at 04:44 PM
3,000? Another sign that the gay population is okay with the decision. Domestic partnerships are good enough! No need for any further action. Yes on 8 wins again!!!
Posted by: Juan | May 30, 2009 at 05:20 PM
And this is news????
Posted by: bethurum | May 30, 2009 at 06:16 PM
Hah, not only is this news, but it's news you're going to keep seeing. You want to stop hearing about gay marriage? Here's a tip - when people have equal rights, they don't have to protest for them. You want to protect marriage? Another tip - work on the pathetic divorce rate in this country. But don't kid yourself in thinking that quibbling over a word does a thing towards either of these things.
Posted by: Zach | June 01, 2009 at 09:46 AM
I was in the march from Selma to Fresno and I would like to say i am Proud to walk beside every gay person there, me and my girlfriend cried when we made it to the end because we were proud of what we and others did to make all of our dreams come true. I would like to thank everyone who participated and for anyone who thought of putting this together. No matter how far i will be there to walk for mine and my kids and others future!!
Posted by: Tasha M. Ferry | June 01, 2009 at 09:58 AM